Deon Butler v. Quan Cosby - YOU DECIDE 2009

Continuing late-round WRs in consideration this installment of the YOU DECIDE series invites you to take a closer look at two players suited for the slot potentially, one with proven special teams ability.  If Deon Butler of Penn State is available in the 4th Round and Quan Cosby of Texas is available in the 5th Round of the upcoming draft, which player would you pick?

Deon Butler - Penn State

Photo
Highlights
Draft Guys TV
Combine Video

5'11", 182 lbs.
4.31 40 Yard Dash, 4.23 20 Yard Shuttle, 7.01 3-Cone Drill
34.5 Inch Vertical Jump, 12 Bench Reps

SENIOR SEASON STATS:
47 Receptions, 810 Yards, 7 TDs (17.2 Yds./Avg)

INJURIES:
None listed.

ANALYSIS:

NFLDraftScout.com, TFYDraft.com

Strengths: Wiry strong receiver with long arms. Reliable hands; uses his hands outside his frame even when challenged and high-points the ball. Has the initial quickness off the snap to get into his route. Good vision, elusiveness and stop-start acceleration in space. Able to run through cornerback tackles to extend the play. Set up corners well for out-routes, pressing them inside and using his arms and quickness to separate.

Small, yet tough, pass catcher who does the little things well. Runs sharp routes, quickly gets into breaks, and stays low on exit. Comes back to the ball, effectively uses his frame to shield away opponents, and looks the pass into his hands. Adjusts to the errant throw, lays out for the difficult reception, and consistently catches the ball away from his body. Works his way across the field, finds the open spot in the defense, and finds a way to get open. Effectively uses the sidelines, playing with good balance and body control. Gives effort blocking.

Deon Butler is arguably one of the most underrated players in this draft.  Playing alongside Derrick Williams, who is getting all of the attention for Penn State prospects, it is easy for draft analysts and fans to overlook Butler's accomplishments.  Penn State was not the most WR friendly offensive team in the country but despite all of Williams' attention, Deon Butler led the Nittany Lions as a receiver.  Butler worked hard on the field to gain separation, gave up his body for the ball, and made some impressive plays throughout his career at Penn State.

Weaknesses: Short, lean receiver who is knocked off his routes by larger corners. Will struggle to get off the jam. Makes the effort blocking on the outside but lacks the strength to sustain. Questionable value as a deep threat against man coverage; will be best in the slot.

Struggles going up against large defensive backs. Despite his forty time at the combine, he does not present himself as a vertical threat.

One thing that is clear from Butler's career and his measurable is that he's best suited for the slot position.  Running underneath routes, using his quickness to get open over the middle and flash a target for the quarterback.  Out of his breaks going over the middle he has enough strength to break some secondary tackles and enough speed to break a reception long.  That's not to say he has the speed to go all the way.  However, on tape he looks faster to me than he does on a stopwatch.

PROFESSIONAL SCOUTING REPORT - TFYDraft.com

Body Structure: Has a compact frame that could carry at least another 10 pounds of bulk, but he has good chest, arm and shoulder definition, a tight waist and abdomen, good thickness in his thighs and calves, along with low body fat.

Athletic Ability: Demonstrates exceptional straight-line speed and balance, but needs to improve his lateral agility, as he shows some tightness in his hips. Shows the timing, arm extension and leaping ability to make plays outside his frame. An agile, deceptive runner with the crisp cutting ability to set up and separate from the defender after the catch. Gets good elevation going for the high passes, but lacks the power to absorb much punishment. Has good body control throughout his route progression, but you would like to see better flexibility to get to the off-target throws. Has quick hands to adjust to the ball in flight and shows ease of movement getting his head turned around to look the ball in.

Football Sense: A highly intelligent player, both on and off the field. Quickly digests the playbook, taking the action from the chalkboard to the field easily. The type that puts in the extra hours studying tapes and is alert to coverages and locating the soft areas on the field. Quick to settle into the openings in the zone and understands his role for the offense -- coming up with the tough catches over the middle and as coach Joe Paterno calls him, "my field stretcher." Effective at converting his patterns and maintaining eye contact with the quarterback to come back for the ball when the pocket is pressured.

Character: The type of character you hope your daughter brings home for dinner. Comes from a supportive family and is very well liked by the staff and teammates. An unassuming type that is reliable and takes well to hard coaching. His hard work saw him emerge from walk-on status to go-to receiver and he prides himself on his work ethic. Recently awarded the Robert B. Mitinger Jr. Award. The honor is presented to a senior who exhibits courage, character and social responsibility.

Competitiveness: Even though Butler lacks the strength you look for in a blocker, he is a good stalker who will sacrifice his body to slow down a defender. A fearless receiver in traffic and gives total effort until the whistle, even though his frail-looking frame will see him get ping-ponged by the more physical second-level defenders. Assertive going for the ball in a crowd and times his leaps well to get to the ball at its high point. Has become a fan favorite because of the way he plays with good urgency and high energy. For a player with his frame, you would expect some flinch going for the ball in a crowd, but Butler just exudes that fearlessness. The type of kid that will play hurt and is always hustling and giving total effort on the field.

Work Habits: Ever since arriving on campus as a walk-on, Butler has exhibited a work ethic above the rest of the players, one that the coaching staff asks the younger players to pattern. Gives total effort throughout, whether in practices or in games. Takes pride in his work ethic, putting in the extra hours studying tapes. A coachable, team player who plays hard and will not back down from an opponent.

ATHLETIC REPORT: GRADE: 6.30

Release: Even though Butler is quicker than most, he lacks great lateral agility to get a smooth release off the line. Lighter than ideal, but gives good effort with his hands to fight off the jam and has enough functional strength to separate after the catch at the college level. Makes sharp cuts coming out of his breaks and has an array of moves to get into his route cleanly, but lacks great explosion when changing direction due to adequate hip snap. Smooth in his patterns and does a decent job of working off and riding up the defender to get to the ball in flight. Has the short-area quickness to separate and has developed good hand placement to secure the ball after the catch (never fumbled in college).

Acceleration: Because of his short-area burst, Butler has been quite effective working underneath or in the intermediate area. Shows some ability to separate on deep routes, but does not have the second gear to elude in the open field, despite his impressive stopwatch speed. Does a nice job of settling into the zones and shows natural hands to look in and secure the ball. The type that builds up his acceleration nicely, demonstrating the athletic agility to adjust to the ball in flight. Works hard to make adjustments to uncover and has the quick vision to come back for the ball when the pocket is pressured. Used more in the slot than as a deep threat, but builds to top speed quick enough to be a valid target in the secondary. Has that short pitter-patter stride that sneaks up on a defender, showing fine body adjustments to get to the ball.

Quickness: Makes quick, precise cuts to gobble up the cushion. Relies more on his quick feet and upper-body power rather than lateral moves to separate after the catch, but is elusive enough to gain some yardage going over the middle. More the type that needs to build up to top speed rather than generate suddenness. Coordination and eye quickness sees him get his hands up nicely to secure the ball away from the frame without having to break stride. Comes off the ball with good urgency, keeping his pads down and hands extended to help him avoid getting rerouted.

Route Running: This is what Butler does best -- run crisp routes while showing the lateral agility and balance to elude after the catch. Sharp in his cuts and does a nice job of sinking his weight to get under most balls thrown to him in the short-to-intermediate areas. Shows tight hips in his patterns, but has the body control to separate. Maintains eye contact with the backfield to work back for the ball and is very effective locating and settling into the zone's soft areas. Showing a good ability to sell his fakes and even though he is used mostly as a zone route runner, he works hard in his patterns and is quick to find the open area. Has the ability to stick and define his cuts and shows decent acceleration in the open.

Separation Ability: Even though he won't win many open-field foot races, Butler is a deceptive route runner who does a nice job of conning and setting up his moves. Sharp making his cuts and is alert to activity in the backfield to come back for the poorly thrown ball. Reads the defensive back's moves well and shows great anticipation ability, knowing when to come in or out on his breaks. Most effective on comeback routes, where his speed is a benefit. Lacks the deep explosion to go vertical, but has good quickness in his stride when working horizontally. Has the hand placement to push off the defender and get valid yardage after the catch.

Ball Concentration: Very alert to the sticks and boundaries. Has the balance and body control to keep his feet along the sidelines and is fearless fighting for the ball in a crowd. Does a nice job of making body adjustments in coverage to get to the ball at its high point. More effective on short-to-intermediate routes, but also does a nice job of settling into the zone's soft spot.

Ball Adjustment: The thing you always see on film is that Butler will make every effort to get to the ball, especially in a crowd. Has the loose hips and body control to get to the off-target tosses and looks very natural extending for the ball in flight. Determined to come up with the ball in traffic and has that body-contortion agility to work his way under the ball to catch it in stride. Uses his body control and balance to catch and turn with the ball without having to gather in his cuts and will generally put himself in good position to catch the ball with his hands extended.

Leaping Ability: Times his leaps well and had just seven of 79 passes targeted to him be deflected by the opposition during his senior year at Penn State. Uses his body well when executing his vertical skills and does a good job of securing and catching the ball, despite absorbing some punishing hits. Demonstrates the proper timing to get to the ball at its highest point. Seems to have that natural ability to get comfortable in adjusting to make the tough grab.

Hands: A natural hands catcher who can secure all the throws in his area. Shows the ball adjustment and body-control agility to extend and snatch outside his frame. Has never turned the ball over during his career, so you know his ball control is good. Generates proper hand placement to get a good push off the snap and has the softness and extension skills to look the ball in without breaking stride. Lacks the ideal arm length you look for in a receiver, but he looks smooth and natural extending for the ball.

Run After the Catch: Has to rely on his straight-line speed and savvy moves to separate after the catch. Lacks the strength to run through arm tackles or the loose hips to simply fly past defenders in the open field. However, he has the vision to settle into the soft areas on the field. Not the type that will get much yardage after the initial hit, but if given room, he can jitterbug for good distance with the ball.

Blocking Ability: Because of his lack of size and weight-room strength, Butler is not going to blow up bigger defenders, especially at the line of scrimmage. Will give great effort, but is just lacking the bulk and big hand punch to sustain. Willingly gets in the way of the defender, but is better stalking in the second level than when asked to block in-line.

Compares To: WAYNE CHREBET, ex-New York Jet -- Much like Chrebet, Butler is a solid slot receiver and good route runner whose balance and lateral agility allow him to ride up on a defensive back and easily separate after the catch. He needs to improve his overall strength, as he is a marginal in-line blocker, but he will not hesitate to face up to an opponent. It is his deceptive quickness and balance that allow him to set up his moves and separate. With teams relying more on multiple receiver formations, Butler is a perfect fit for the slot receiver position.

There's little not to like about Deon Butler.  He has the size, quickness, hands, and fearless nature to be an effective slot receiver for the Colts.  While he's not a deep threat, he is a field stretcher.  Whether the Colts want to draft a guy to play on the outside, allowing them to move Anthony Gonzalez back inside... or if Gonzalez proved so valuable on the outside that the Colts see more value in getting a slot receiver, is yet to be seen.  If they are looking for a slot receiver, however, Deon Butler brings just about everything the Colts could want at that position on the field.

ANOTHER SCOUTING REPORT - FFToolbox.com

Quan Cosby - Texas

Photo
Highlights 2009 Fiesta Bowl
Laying a Big Block
Wrestling for the Ball and Running for the TD
Combine Video

5'9", 196 lbs.
4.50 40 Yard Dash, 4.47 20 Yard Shuttle, 7.28 3-Cone Drill
34.5 Inch Vertical Jump, 28 Bench Reps

SENIOR SEASON STATS:
92 Receptions, 1,123 Yards, 10 TDs (12.2 Yds./Avg)
6 Punt Returns, 38 Yards (6.3 Yds./Avg)
17 Kick Returns, 350 Yards (20.6 Yds./Avg)

INJURIES:
None listed.

ANALYSIS:

NFLDraftScout.com, TFYDraft.com

Strengths: Short, but has a compact, athletic build. Good quickness off the snap to avoid press coverage. At least adequate straight-line speed. Savvy route-runner who varies his speed and can sneak behind the defense deep. Can drop his hips and shows good burst out of his break to generate separation. Secure hands. Looks the ball into his hands and secures it quickly. Best attribute might be his body control. Times his leaps extraordinarily well to reach the ball at its highest level and can lay out to make the spectacular grab. Fierce competitor who makes plays on the ball despite being out-sized. Averaged 23.7 yards per kickoff return and 11.7 per punt return, with one score on each, over his career. Good character and mature; a husband and father.

Small, yet tough, pass catcher who does the little things well. Runs sharp routes, quickly gets into breaks, and stays low on exit. Comes back to the ball, effectively uses his frame to shield away opponents, and looks the pass into his hands. Adjusts to the errant throw, lays out for the difficult reception, and consistently catches the ball away from his body. Works his way across the field, finds the open spot in the defense, and finds a way to get open. Effectively uses the sidelines, playing with good balance and body control. Gives effort blocking.

Quan Cosby is a savvy receiver.  Like Butler he works well across the field, finds the soft spots in the defense.  Cosby has the ability to get up to the ball at its peak and has the hands to secure any pass within his reach.  More developed physically.

Weaknesses: Measured in considerably smaller than expected at the Senior Bowl. Lacks the height scouts prefer on the outside and may struggle with the adjustment inside, where his body control and leaping ability is minimized. Older than most NFL rookies (26) due to his time playing minor league baseball. May lack the straight-line speed to challenge deep in the NFL.

Struggles going up against large defensive backs. Despite his forty time at the combine, he does not present himself as a vertical threat.

The biggest question-mark about Quan Cosby is his age.  He'll be 27 years old in his rookie year.  However, the upside of that is that he's arguably more mature, fully developed and could be considered a "what you is what you get" kind of guy.  In the Colts system he'd have to move inside, and while his experience is on the outside, nothing I have learned about Cosby leads me to believe that he would hav ea real struggle making that transition.

SENIOR BOWL PRACTICE RECAP - TFYDraft.com

Monday Practice Notes: Ran decent routes and showed adequate hands but nothing about his game really stood out.

Tuesday Practice Notes: Cosby was effective today and improved on a solid opening practice.  He ran crisp routes, effectively used his body to protect the ball and made several nice grabs.  He looked impressive making one catch when Derek Pegues was draped on his back.

Wednesday Practice Notes: Once again Cosby had a real good day.  His routes remain crisp and he constantly gets separation.  Cosby has very sure hands and did not drop anything.

Thursday Practice Notes:  No notes.

Analysis:  Cosby continued the momentum of a terrific senior campaign here in Mobile.  He played much bigger than his listed size and showed a lot of natural pass catching skills.  Size and speed limitations will push him into the later rounds yet like McKinley, Cosby can be a productive 4th/5th receiver in the NFL.

Cosby's performance at Senior Bowl practices lends credibility to idea that he truly is a "what you see is what you get" type of player.  He has sure-hands.  He aggressively goes after the football, can wrestle away from defenders.  Cosby is not afraid of sacrificing his body to block.  Cosby is also a solid return man who would likely excel in that ability very quickly.  His biggest potential upside is that he might be a very low round pick who could produce very quickly because he's already fully developed physically and shouldn't change much regardless of where he goes or what specific position he is asked to play.

ANOTHER SCOUTING REPORT - FFToolbox.com

COMPARISON:

Deon Butler and Quan Cosby are very similar players on the football field.  Both are smaller receiver who have excellent hands, are fearless, run excellent routes, and have been consistent in their play and ability throughout their college careers.  Butler has more youth, potentially a bit more room to develop physically and as a player but would require a higher pick.  Cosby is higher in age, fully developed physically, and brings a similar game to Butler but would require a later draft pick.  Both players could bring dynamic return ability.  Which of these two guys would you select?  Which has the better value?  Butler in the 4th or Cosby in the 5th?

YOU DECIDE